Cleveland Cavaliers Fans Will Miss Jeremy Pargo

Thanks for the wins and the memories Jeremy Pargo, but the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t need you anymore.

The Cavaliers waived Pargo on Tuesday in order to help make room for the three players the club received in a trade with Pargo’s former team, the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Cavaliers traded for Pargo in the summer, and he looked for a time like he was going to be main part of the lineup for the Wine and Gold this season. The 6-2 guard out of Gonzaga was featured in preseason interviews of the players, and he looked like he could provide some energy off of the bench. For a time this year, he was a key player for the Cavaliers and was even a starter.

Pargo played in 25 games for the Cavaliers this season, and started 11 of those contests. He did provide a spark for a time, as he was attacking the rim and helping to lead the offense while star guard Kyrie Irving was out with an injury. Additional injuries to guards Dion Waiters and Daniel “Boobie” Gibson also provided Pargo with more playing time.

When those guards were all able to come back and play, though, and when the Cavaliers signed veteran guard Shaun Livingston during the season, Pargo lost his spot in the rotation.

In the Tuesday trade, the Cavaliers gave the Grizzlies little-used big man Jon Leuer and received forward/center Mareese Speights and guards Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby. The Cavaliers also received a future first-round draft pick.

All Pargo received was a ticket out of town.

The Cavaliers are a bad team that is trying to get better, and the trade was the right move to make. And while I understand that the Cavaliers don’t have room for Pargo anymore, I will miss him and I know that many fans of the Wine and Gold will, too.

Pargo brought some excitement to the Cavaliers while they were struggling this season, and he had some pretty big games. Back on Nov. 21, for example, Pargo scored 28 points and led the Cavaliers to a 92-83 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Pargo played 39 minutes in that game and shot 11 for 19, including 4 for 8 from three-point range.

Alas, Pargo-santity didn’t last long enough for the Cavaliers. He had several other big nights, such as when he scored 22 points in a 113-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30, but he was not consistent enough. He had several bad games, and there were nights when the offense didn’t run through him like Head Coach Byron Scott wanted it to.

Pargo always looked like he was hustling and doing whatever he could to help the Cavaliers win, though, and hopefully he can land with another NBA team that needs a young guard to come off the bench and provide some solid minutes each game.

Thanks for the wins and the memories. We’ll be watching for Pargo-sanity in another city soon.